Junkers Ju 88 A-4

Designation

German light bomber/attack aircraft

History

The Junkers Ju 88 became for the Germans what the Mosquito aircraft type was for the British; a very useful aircraft in many different roles. The Ju 88 was originally constructed as a high-speed bomber. The prototype had its maiden flight in 1936 and the aircraft was operational in 1939. During World War II ten different variants were made, for example: bomber, night fighter, reconnaissance plane, dive bomber, torpedo bomber and close support aircraft for the Army. More than 15,000 Ju 88s were built.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force Museum’s Ju 88 has the extra designation A-4. This type of aircraft was produced from 1942 and was further developed for attacking shipping. The Germans had many squadrons of Ju 88s in North Norway. The main task was bombing the Allied convoys between Great Britain and Murmansk and among other achievements the aircraft was jointly responsible for sinking 32 allied merchant vessels in convoys off the coast of Finnmark in less than two months.

The aircraft on display had the registration letters 4D+AM and in 1942 it was stationed at Banak. After attacking the two Russian naval vessels ‘Kiev’ and ‘Occident’ on 17 April 1942, the aircraft ran out fuel during the flight back to Banak. The crew of four bailed out near Hammerfest and the aircraft crashed on Gardevarre mountain, inland from Smørfjord.

Description

The aircraft is displayed approximately as it was found on Gardevarre. The paintwork has deteriorated after 40 years’ weather and wind, but to begin with it had the original splinter-pattern camouflage RLM 70/71, with the underside painted matt black. It has black registration letters with a white A as the aircraft’s individual letter according to its squadron.

The wreckage of the Junkers Ju 88 as it lay on Gardevarre in Finnmark in 1982.